Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain is Associated With Depressive Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Independent of Physical Activity.

Background: Prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms in adults is high; however, whether there is an association between these conditions in older adults is unknown.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of depressive symptoms with chronic musculoskeletal pain, and specifically with chronic LBP and knee osteoarthritis (OA), in community-dwelling older adults. In addition, we explored whether physical activity can mitigate these associations.

Association Between Domain-Specific Physical Activity and Chronic Low Back Pain in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To investigate the association between physical activity (PA) domains and chronic low back pain (LBP) in older adults. A cross-sectional study where sociodemographic, behavioral, and health variables; PA; and presence of chronic LBP were collected. Higher scores of PA defined the "more active" participants.

Proposed Tandem Effect of Physical Activity and Sirtuin 1 and 3 Activation in Regulating Glucose Homeostasis.

Sirtuins (SIRTs) are seven nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent protein deacetylases enzymes (SIRT1-7) that play an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Among those, the most studied are SIRT1 and SIRT3, a nuclear SIRT and a mitochondrial SIRT, respectively, which significantly impact with an increase in mammals' lifespan by modulating metabolic cellular processes. Particularly, when activated, both SIRT1 and 3 enhance pancreatic β-cells' insulin release and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress pancreatic damage, maintaining then glucose homeostasis.

Aripiprazole versus haloperidol in combination with clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia in routine clinical care: a randomized, controlled trial.

This multisite study was conducted to compare the efficacy and tolerability of combination treatment with clozapine plus aripiprazole versus combination treatment with clozapine plus haloperidol in patients with schizophrenia who do not have an optimal response to clozapine. Patients continued to take clozapine and were randomly assigned to receive daily augmentation with aripiprazole or haloperidol. Physicians prescribed the allocated treatments according to usual clinical care.

Adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs: survey of doctors' versus patients' perspective.

Aims: Almost no data are available on whether patients and doctors have similar or dissimilar opinions on the presence and level of distress due to antipsychotic adverse effects. The aim of this survey is to compare doctors' versus patients' perspective on the presence and level of distress due to antipsychotic adverse effects in a sample of patients under the care of the South-Verona mental health services.

Methods: All patients exposed to antipsychotic drugs during a census period of 6 months were identified.

Patterns of benzodiazepine use in a Canadian population sample.

Aim: The objective of this study was to identify clinical and demographic factors that may be associated with benzodiazepine treatment, to describe the reported reasons for use of these medications and to appraise the pattern of use in relation to standard guidelines in a general population sample.

Methods: Telephone survey methods were employed to select a sample of 3345 people between the ages of 18 and 64. A computer assisted telephone interview, including the Mini Neuropsychiatric Diagnostic Interview (MINI), was administered.

Rationale and design of an independent randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of aripiprazole or haloperidol in combination with clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Background: One third to two thirds of people with schizophrenia have persistent psychotic symptoms despite clozapine treatment. Under real-world circumstances, the need to provide effective therapeutic interventions to patients who do not have an optimal response to clozapine has been cited as the most common reason for simultaneously prescribing a second antipsychotic drug in combination treatment strategies. In a clinical area where the pressing need of providing therapeutic answers has progressively increased the occurrence of antipsychotic polypharmacy, despite the lack of robust evidence of its efficacy, we sought to implement a pre-planned protocol where two alternative therapeutic answers are systematically provided and evaluated within the context of a pragmatic, multicentre, independent randomised study.

Frequency and adequacy of depression treatment in a Canadian population sample.

Objective: Population-based data about depression treatment are largely restricted to estimates of the frequency of antidepressant (AD) use. Such frequencies are difficult to interpret in the absence of information about dosages, reasons for taking the medications, and participation in nonpharmacologic treatment. The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of treatment for major depression (MD) in Alberta.

Mood and anxiety disorders, the association with presenteeism in employed members of a general population sample.

Aims: The term "presenteeism" is used to describe workers who are present in the workforce, but who are not functioning at full capacity. The objective of the study was to describe the impact of mood and anxiety disorders on presenteeism in a population sample.

Methods: Random digit dialing was used to select a sample of n=3345 subjects between the ages of 18 and 64.

Factors associated with antipsychotic dosing in psychiatric inpatients: a prospective study.

The persistent use of doses in excess of recommended levels is associated with increased risks of adverse reactions without evidence of additional benefits. Such treatment modality was evaluated in hospitalized psychiatric patients. During a 6-year recruitment period, a consecutive series of psychiatric inpatients receiving antipsychotic therapy were included.

Reasons for antidepressant prescriptions in Canada.

Purpose: To describe reasons reported by physicians making recommendations for treatment with antidepressant medications.

Methods: Data collected by IMS Health Canada in a database called the Canadian Disease and Therapeutic Index (CDTI) were used in this analysis. CDTI data are collected from a representative sample of office-based physicians who complete diaries in their practices during selected sampling periods.

Self-reported thyroid disease and mental disorder prevalence in the general population.

Objective: Community studies have failed to confirm that biochemically assessed thyroid status is significantly associated with psychopathology. However, it has been reported that self-reported thyroid disease is associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. The objective of the current study was to determine whether self-reported thyroid disease is associated with elevated mental disorder prevalence in the general population.